Poultry litter rejuvenating machine

Abstract

A poultry rejuvenating machine for attachment to a tractor includes a deck with an offset front frame attached to the top and front of the deck for attachment of the machine to a power-transfer output and a three-point hitch of a tractor. A rotating shaft is housed within the deck, and a plurality of peripheral blades are coaxially and equidistantly held on the shaft by bushings. Height adjustable skids attached to the bottom of the deck space the blades about 1 inch from the floor of a poultry house. A guide is provided on a projecting end of the deck, and a belt drive is provided on the other end of the deck that is drivingly engaged to the shaft. The machine traverses a poultry house to cut, turn and rejuvenate poultry litter.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]This invention relates generally to a tractor-drawn machine for rejuvenating poultry litter accumulated over the ground surface of a poultry raising area and, in particular, to a machine for rejuvenating poultry litter that is loosened from the ground surface forward of a number of rotary peripheral cutting blades. The loosed and rejuvenated material is redeposited by the traveling machine back onto the floor of the poultry house without throwing the litter.[0003]2. Discussion of the Prior Art[0004]Used poultry litter contains ammonia and bacteria which are detrimental to the life of the poultry raised on it. The bacteria's byproducts can be used as a benefactor for new chicks, but the ammonia must be eliminated. Once a crop of chicks has used litter, a hard crust forms just under the surface of the litter and above the floor of the poultry house. This crust seals in ammonia that is being produced by the bird's dropping...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011]The poultry litter rejuvenation machine of the present invention is designed to increase the life of poultry house litter by breaking up the thick crust that forms just below the surface of the litter, thus allowing the ammonia to escape. The machine includes a seven-foot wide deck that saves time in rejuvenating litter by servicing the poultry house with fewer passes than comparable machines. The deck completely covers the litter impacting area, which reduces the amount of free dust and other material floating in the air. The deck of the machine is offset from the tractor to allow for close operation of the machine to a poultry house wall.

[0012]The machine uses a number of rigid peripheral blades that do not fold back under heavy loads, and these blades offer two cutting edges per revolution. The blades improve performance over comparable machines by delivering the machine's torque to the litter more efficiently. A typical configuration of the machine will include twenty-two peripheral blades situated on the shaft. The penetration of the blades with respect to the compacted litter is managed by an adjustable skid. A control on the machine adjusts the skid to control the height of the unit, and the depth of surface penetration of the blades. The peripheral loosening motion of the blades loosens the litter and causes the litter to be returned to the center of the blades by centrifugal force for additional contact and loosening by the blades.

[0013]The machine includes a belt driven rotary shaft with the blades sequentially coaxially aligned thereon. Under heavy loads, the four V-belt drive system provides for smooth operation of the machine. The belt-drive system and the deck of the machine are coupled to a tractor by fitting the machine to a three-point-hitch on a tractor, and the machine operates effectively at a standard 540 RPM via connection to a tractor power take-off (PTO).

Problems solved by technology

Used poultry litter contains ammonia and bacteria which are detrimental to the life of the poultry raised on it.

Instead without further action, the ammonia will seep out very slowly from the poultry floor and will damage the eyes and lungs of the later crop of young chicks placed on the used litter.

Images